GetAdaptersInfo & GetAdaptersAddresses

I use GetAdaptersInfo to get MAC addresses of interfaces.

 

GetAdaptersInfo exist on old and new versions of Windows. 

But msdn warns :

    "On Windows XP and later:  Use the GetAdaptersAddresses 
      function instead of GetAdaptersInfo."

Why ? I suspect it is because GetAdaptersAddresses  adds ipv6; GetAdaptersInfo does not have ipv6 addresses.

But I do not need ipv6 addresses.

 

It is difficult to use GetAdaptersAddresses because W2k does not have GetAdaptersAddresses . I need to support w2 and newer oses, too, so here is my question.

 

Is there sesious reason to prefer GetAdaptersAddresses to GetAdaptersInfo when getting MAC addresses of interfaces ?

 

Hi Viki,

To me, it sounds like perhaps GetAdaptersInfo may be dropped at some future point.  Your code could detect W2K and use GetAdaptersInfo, and on XP+ use GetAdaptersAddresses.  I suppose, it comes down to whether you do the work now, or when / if GetAdaptersInfo is dropped.